Cold Plasma Treatment Devices and Associated Methods

ABSTRACT

A cold plasma treatment device for delivery of a cold plasma to patient treatment area. Gas is fed to a gas compartment where it is energized by an electrode coupled to a pulse source to thereby generate a cold plasma. A dielectric barrier is sandwiched between the gas compartment and the electrode to form a dielectric barrier discharge device. The cold plasma exits the gas compartment via a bottom member having a plurality of holes. Gases that can be used include noble gases such as helium or combinations of noble gases.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/620,224, filed Sep. 14, 2012, which claims the benefit under 35U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/535,250,entitled “Harmonic Cold Plasma Devices and Associated Methods”, filed onSep. 15, 2011, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated byreference in their entirety.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/149,744, filed May 31, 2011, U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/638,161, filed Dec. 15, 2009, U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/038,159, filed Feb. 27, 2008, and U.S. Provisional Application No.60/913,369, filed Apr. 23, 2007, each of which are herein incorporatedby reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Art

The present invention relates to devices and methods for creating coldplasmas, and, more particularly, to cold plasma treatment methods andapplication devices.

2. Background Art

Atmospheric pressure hot plasmas are known to exist in nature. Forexample, lightning is an example of a DC arc (hot) plasma. Many DC arcplasma applications have been achieved in various manufacturingprocesses, for example, for use in forming surface coatings. Atmosphericpressure cold plasma processes are also known in the art. Most of the ator near atmospheric pressure cold plasma processes are known to utilizepositive to negative electrodes in different configurations, whichrelease free electrons in a noble gas medium.

Devices that use a positive to negative electrode configuration to forma cold plasma from noble gases (helium, argon, etc.) have frequentlyexhibited electrode degradation and overheating difficulties throughcontinuous device operation. The process conditions for enabling a densecold plasma electron population without electrode degradation and/oroverheating are difficult to achieve.

Different applications of cold plasma devices require different sizecold plasma plumes and different dimensional devices to produce thosecold plasma plumes. For example, some medical treatments require a largecold plasma plume to treat a large external wound, while othertreatments require a small cold plasma device that can be coupled to anelongated medical device that can traverse a small body passageway toreach a small internal treatment site.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need to address large treatment areas, such as burns, skingraft donor and recipient sites, tissue flaps, and the like. For a coldplasma treatment device to be able to address such large treatmentareas, the cold plasma treatment device needs to be able to provide astable cold plasma plume with a size that is commensurate with thetreatment area.

An embodiment of a cold plasma treatment device is described thatincludes a body having a gas compartment therein. The gas compartment iscommunicatively coupled to a gas inlet port. A bottom member of the coldplasma treatment device has a plurality of openings that arecommunicatively coupled to the gas compartment. A dielectric barrierdischarge device is formed by an electrode disposed adjacent to aninsulating barrier, the insulating barrier in turn disposed adjacent tothe gas compartment and the electrode coupled to a high voltageelectrical inlet port.

Another embodiment is described regarding a method of generating a coldplasma. A gas is received into a gas compartment within a body, the gasbeing received via a gas inlet port. The received gas is energizedwithin the gas compartment to generate a cold plasma by applyingelectrical energy via an electrical input port to an electrode adjacentto a dielectric barrier, the dielectric barrier being sandwiched betweenthe electrode and the gas compartment. The cold plasma is output via aplurality of holes in a bottom member, the plurality of holes beingcommunicatively coupled to the gas compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B is a cutaway view of the hand-held atmospheric harmoniccold plasma device, in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an embodiment of the cold plasma devicewithout magnets, in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary circuit diagram of the power supply of a coldplasma device, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the generation of cold plasma resulting using adielectric barrier discharge principle, in accordance with embodimentsof the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cold plasma treatment device, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates the underside of a cold plasma treatment device, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the cold plasma emanating from the cold plasmatreatment device, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of forming a cold plasma using a cold plasmatreatment device, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Cold temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas have attracted a greatdeal of enthusiasm and interest by virtue of their provision of plasmasat relatively low gas temperatures. The provision of a plasma at such atemperature is of interest to a variety of applications, including woundhealing, anti-bacterial processes, various other medical therapies andsterilization.

Cold Plasma Application Device

To achieve a cold plasma, a cold plasma device typically takes as inputa source of appropriate gas and a source of high voltage electricalenergy, and outputs a plasma plume. FIG. 1A illustrates such a coldplasma device. Previous work by the inventors in this research area hasbeen described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/913,369,U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 12/038,159 (that has issued asU.S. Pat. No. 7,633,231) and the subsequent continuation applications(collectively “the '369 application family”). The following paragraphsdiscuss further the subject matter from this application family further,as well as additional developments in this field.

The '369 application family describes a cold plasma device that issupplied with helium gas, connected to a high voltage energy source, andwhich results in the output of a cold plasma. The temperature of thecold plasma is approximately 65-120 degrees F. (preferably 65-99 degreesF.), and details of the electrode, induction grid and magnet structuresare described. The voltage waveforms in the device are illustrated at atypical operating point in '369 application family.

In a further embodiment to that described in the '369 application,plasma is generated using an apparatus without magnets, as illustratedin FIGS. 2A and 2B. In this magnet-free environment, the plasmagenerated by the action of the electrodes 61 is carried with the fluidflow downstream towards the nozzle 68. FIG. 2A illustrates a magnet-freeembodiment in which no induction grid is used. FIG. 2B illustrates amagnet-free embodiment in which induction grid 66 is used. FIG. 1Billustrates the same embodiment as illustrated FIG. 2B, but from adifferent view. Although these embodiments illustrate the cold plasma isgenerated from electrode 12, other embodiments do not power the coldplasma device using electrode 12, but instead power the cold plasmadevice using induction grid 66.

In both a magnet and a magnet-free embodiment, the inductance grid 66 isoptional. When inductance grid 66 is present, it provides ionizationenergy to the gas as the gas passes by. Thus, although the inductancegrid 66 is optional, its presence enriches the resulting plasma.

As noted above, the inductance grid 66 is optional. When absent, theplasma will nevertheless transit the cold plasma device and exit at thenozzle 68, although in this case, there will be no additional ionizationenergy supplied to the gas as it transits the latter stage of the coldplasma device.

As noted with respect to other embodiments, magnetic fields can be usedin conjunction with the production of cold plasmas. Where present,magnetic fields act, at least at some level, to constrain the plasma andto guide it through the device. In general, electrically chargedparticles tend to move along magnetic field lines in spiraltrajectories. As noted elsewhere, other embodiments can comprise magnetsconfigured and arranged to produce various magnetic field configurationsto suit various design considerations. For example, in one embodiment asdescribed in the previously filed '369 application family, a pair ofmagnets may be configured to give rise to magnetic fields with opposingdirections that act to confine the plasma near the inductance grid.

Cold Plasma Unipolar High Voltage Power Supply

The '369 application family also illustrates an embodiment of theunipolar high voltage power supply architecture and components usedtherein. The circuit architecture is reproduced here as FIG. 3, and thisuniversal power unit provides electrical power for a variety ofembodiments described further below. The architecture of this universalpower unit includes a low voltage timer, followed by a preamplifier thatfeeds a lower step-up voltage transformer. The lower step-up voltagetransformer in turn feeds a high frequency resonant inductor-capacitor(LC) circuit that is input to an upper step-up voltage transformer. Theoutput of the upper step-up voltage transformer provides the output fromthe unipolar high voltage power supply.

FIG. 3 also illustrates an exemplary implementation of the unipolar highvoltage power supply 310 architecture. In this implementation, a timerintegrated circuit such as a 555 timer 320 provides a low voltage pulsedsource with a frequency that is tunable over a frequency range centeredat approximately 1 kHz. The output of the 555 timer 320 is fed into apreamplifier that is formed from a common emitter bipolar transistor 330whose load is the primary winding of the lower step-up voltagetransformer 340. The collector voltage of the transistor forms theoutput voltage that is input into the lower step-up voltage transformer.The lower step-up transformer provides a magnification of the voltage tothe secondary windings. In turn, the output voltage of the lower step-upvoltage transformer is forwarded to a series combination of a highvoltage rectifier diode 350, a quenching gap 360 and finally to a seriesLC resonant circuit 370. As the voltage waveform rises, the rectifierdiode conducts, but the quench gap voltage will not have exceeded itsbreakdown voltage. Accordingly, the quench gap is an open circuit, andtherefore the capacitor in the series LC resonant circuit will chargeup. Eventually, as the input voltage waveform increases, the voltageacross the quench gap exceeds its breakdown voltage, and it arcs overand becomes a short circuit. At this time, the capacitor stops chargingand begins to discharge. The energy stored in the capacitor isdischarged via the tank circuit formed by the series LC connection.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3, the inductor also forms the primarywinding of the upper step-up voltage transformer 340. Thus, the voltageacross the inductor of the LC circuit will resonate at the resonantfrequency of the LC circuit 370, and in turn will be further stepped-upat the secondary winding of the upper step-up voltage transformer. Theresonant frequency of the LC circuit 370 can be set to in the highkHz-low MHz range. The voltage at the secondary winding of the upperstep-up transformer is connected to the output of the power supply unitfor delivery to the cold plasma device. The typical output voltage is inthe 10-150 kV voltage range. Thus, voltage pulses having a frequency inthe high kHz-low MHz range can be generated with an adjustablerepetition frequency in the 1 kHz range. The output waveform is shapedsimilar to the acoustic waveform generated by an impulse such as a bellis struck with a hammer. Here, the impulse is provided when the sparkgap (or SCR) fires and produces the voltage pulse which causes theresonant circuits in the primary and secondary sides of the transformerto resonate at their specific resonant frequencies. The resonantfrequencies of the primary and the secondary windings are different. Asa result, the two signals mix and produce the unique ‘harmonic’ waveformseen in the transformer output. The net result of the unipolar highvoltage power supply is the production of a high voltage waveform with anovel “electrical signature,” which when combined with a noble gas orother suitable gas, produces a unique harmonic cold plasma that providesadvantageous results in wound healing, bacterial removal and otherapplications.

The quenching gap 360 is a component of the unipolar high voltage powersupply 310. It modulates the push/pull of electrical energy between thecapacitance banks, with the resulting generation of electrical energythat is rich in harmonic content. The quenching gap can be accomplishedin a number of different ways, including a sealed spark gap and anunsealed spark gap. The sealed spark gap is not adjustable, whileunsealed spark gaps can be adjustable. A sealed spark gap can berealized using, for example, a DECI-ARC 3000 V gas tube from ReynoldsIndustries, Inc. Adjustable spark gaps provide the opportunity to adjustthe output of the unipolar high voltage power supply and the intensityof the cold plasma device to which it is connected. In a furtherembodiment of the present invention that incorporates a sealed (andtherefore non-adjustable) spark gap, thereby ensuring a stable plasmaintensity.

In an exemplary embodiment of the unipolar high voltage power supply, a555 timer 320 is used to provide a pulse repetition frequency ofapproximately 150-600 Hz. As discussed above, the unipolar high voltagepower supply produces a series of spark gap discharge pulses based onthe pulse repetition frequency. The spark gap discharge pulses have avery narrow pulse width due to the extremely rapid discharge ofcapacitive stored energy across the spark gap. Initial assessments ofthe pulse width of the spark gap discharge pulses indicate that thepulse width is approximately 1 nsec. The spark gap discharge pulse traincan be described or modeled as a filtered pulse train. In particular, asimple resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) filter can be used to model thecapacitor, high voltage coil and series resistance of the unipolar highvoltage power supply. In one embodiment of the invention, the spark gapdischarge pulse train can be modeled as a simple modeled RLC frequencyresponse centered in the range of around 100 MHz. Based on the pulserepetition frequency of 192 Hz, straightforward signal analysisindicates that there would be approximately 2,000,000 individualharmonic components between DC and 400 MHz.

In another embodiment of the unipolar high voltage power supplydescribed above, a 556 timer or any timer circuit can be used in placeof the 555 timer 320. In comparison with the 555 timer, the 556 timerprovides a wider frequency tuning range that results in greaterstability and improved cadence of the unipolar high voltage power supplywhen used in conjunction with the cold plasma device.

Cold Plasma Iron Treatment Device

Devices, other than the cold plasma device illustrated above in FIG. 1,can also generate cold plasma. For example, cold plasma can also begenerated by a dielectric barrier discharge device, which relies on adifferent process to generate the cold plasma. As FIG. 4 illustrates, adielectric barrier discharge (DBD) device 400 contains one metalelectrode 410 covered by a dielectric layer 420. The electrical returnpath 430 is formed by the ground 440 that can be provided by the targetsubstrate undergoing the cold plasma treatment. Energy for thedielectric barrier discharge device 400 can be provided by a powersupply 450, such as that described above and illustrated in FIG. 2. Moregenerally, energy is input to the dielectric barrier discharge device inthe form of pulsed electrical voltage to form the plasma discharge. Byvirtue of the dielectric layer, the discharge is separated from themetal electrode and electrode etching and gas heating is reduced. Thepulsed electrical voltage can be varied in amplitude and frequency toachieve varying regimes of operation.

In an exemplary embodiment of a cold plasma treatment device using theDBD principle, a “steam-iron” shaped cold plasma treatment device 500 isprovided as shown in FIG. 5. Cold plasma treatment device 500 contains abody 510, a bottom member 550 and an optional handle 590. Body 510contains gas compartment 520, which is connected to a gas inlet port530. Adjacent to gas compartment 520 is a dielectric barrier 580,followed by an electrode 540, which is connected to a high voltageelectrical port 570. Bottom member 550 contains a plurality of holes 560through which cold plasma can exit from the gas compartment 520. Inoperation, a pulsed electrical voltage is applied to high voltageelectrical port 570, while a suitable gas is applied to gas inlet port530. The gas compartment 520 receives the applied gas, and the appliedgas is energized by the electrode 540 in accordance with the DBD effectdescribed above. The gas, which has a desired composition, has a shortdwell time in the high energy field provided by electrode 540. Theenergized gas results in a cold plasma which exits the gas compartment520 via the plurality of holes 560. Plurality of holes 560 can be formedby any means, including the use of open-cell foam.

Dielectric barrier 580 can be made of any suitable dielectric materialto maintain the required insulation at the voltages used in the DBDeffect. In an exemplary embodiment, dielectric barrier 580 can use asuitable dielectric material, such as ceramic, polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE), quartz and the like. Similarly, the gas compartment 520 andother portions of the body 510 can also be manufactured using a suitableinert material, such as ceramic, PTFE, polyoxymethylene,polyamide-imides and the like. The gas used in cold plasma treatmentdevice 500 can be any noble gas, or mixture of noble gases. In anexemplary device, the gas can be helium. Electrode 540 can bemanufactured using any suitable conducting material. In an exemplaryembodiment, electrode 540 can be any suitable conductive material.Suitable conductive materials include metals (e.g., brass), as well asplated conductive materials (e.g., nickel-plated, silver-plated,gold-plated, and the like, as well as combinations thereof). Bottommember 550 can be manufactured using any non-conductive material fromwhich a plurality of holes can be formed, including open-cell foam.Optional handle 590 can also be made using acrylic or any suitablenon-conductive material.

Bottom member 550 is shown with a triangle shape that matches the shapeof gas compartment 520. The triangle shape is exemplary, and othershapes fall within the scope of embodiments of the present invention. Inother exemplary embodiments, polygonal and oval shapes are used. FIG. 6illustrates a bottom view of cold plasma treatment device 600. Coldplasma treatment device 600 has body 610, bottom member 620, with theplurality of holes 630. Referring back to FIG. 5, gas compartment 520and bottom member 550 can be any shape. In particular, the shape of gascompartment 520 and bottom member 550 can be chosen to be aligned to theshape of the desired treatment area. Thus, a triangle is one of manyshapes that fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Bottom member 550 is shown to be a flat member. However, bottom member550 can also be non-flat, i.e., a curvature that conforms to a non-flattreatment area. In a further embodiment, bottom member 550 can also havesufficient flexibility to be able to conform to a non-flat treatmentarea, such as a conformable open-celled foam.

FIG. 7 illustrates cold plasma treatment device 710 in operation. Coldplasma treatment device 710 that generates cold plasma streams 720 ontotreatment surface 730. Optional handle 740 is also shown. As can bereadily understood by one of skill in the art, other alternative meansof handling cold plasma treatment device 710 are within the scope of thedisclosure. Other alternative means include both manual manipulation aswell as semiautomatic and automatic means of manipulation (e.g.,semiautomatic and automatic actuators). Manipulation is used to applythe cold plasma treatment device 710 to the required treatment area.

The cold plasma treatment device 710 can be referred to as a “plasmairon.” The term plasma iron comes from the overall shape of the plasmaapplicator. As seen above, it is of generally triangular shape with aplurality of holes on its lower face (directed toward the treatmentarea) through which multiple individual plasma plumes are directed. Inthe “plasma iron,” there is a handle made of dielectric material, suchas plastic or acrylic, on the face opposing the lower face, or bottommember of the “plasma iron.” The “plasma iron” operates to generateatmospheric pressure cold plasma in a non-equilibrium mode. As notedabove, the “plasma iron” uses a single plate type electrode separatedfrom a flowing gas by a thin dielectric barrier of acrylic or similarmaterial. The gas inlet directs the gas flow into a small void betweenthe dielectric material and the plurality of holes on the lower face orbottom member. When the lower face is brought into proximity with aconductive body such as the treatment area, the energy is directed fromthe plate electrode, through the dielectric, into the gas, through theplurality of holes, and to the target body. In the process, the gasbecomes ionized and flows through the plurality of ports as a pluralityof cool plasma streams.

The arrangements described above combine some aspects of dielectricbarrier discharge (DBD) plasmas with atmospheric pressure plasma jets(APPJ), such as that illustrated in FIG. 1, to create a unique effect.DBD plasmas are generally created in a non-equilibrium mode by passingelectrical discharges over a small distance through ambient air. Theelectrode shape for a DBD plasma is generally demonstrated as a flatdisk shape, or any shape of essentially two dimensions. APPJ may begenerated as equilibrium or non-equilibrium plasmas but involve directcontact between the plasma energy source (electrode array) and the feedgas, generally in three dimensions (e.g., pin-in-tube electrode,cylindrical electrode). In this embodiment, a flat, plate-like,two-dimensional electrode is separated from a feed gas by a dielectricbarrier, thus separating the electrode from the gas jet causing anionized gas stream to exit the device in a controlled manner. Thisprovides for a broad surface of plasma generation with the benefit offeed gas control allowing for subsequent optimization of the plasmachemistry and biological effects. The harmonic cold plasma power sourcedesign allows for this high level of ionization without substantialtemperature rise. The combined effect of multiple simultaneous RFwaveforms increases the ionization level of the gas while maintaininglow overall gas temperatures. This device is powered by the same powersupply unit as the '369 patent family.

Cold Plasma Iron Manufacturing and Usage Method

FIG. 8 provides a flowchart of an exemplary method 800 to generate acold plasma using a cold plasma treatment device, according to anembodiment of the present invention.

The process begins at step 810. In step 810, a gas is received into agas compartment within a body of a cold plasma treatment device. In anembodiment, a gas is received into a gas compartment 520 within a body510 of a cold plasma treatment device.

In step 820, the received gas is energized in the gas compartment toform a cold plasma, the electrical energy being applied via anelectrical input port to an electrode adjacent to a dielectric barrier,the dielectric barrier sandwiched between the electrode and the gascompartment. In an embodiment, the received gas is energized in gascompartment 520 using energy from electrode 540 that is in turn receivedfrom electrical input port 570. Dielectric barrier 580 is sandwichedbetween electrode 540 and gas compartment 520.

In step 830, the gas is output via a plurality of holes in a bottommember. In an embodiment, the gas is output via a plurality of holes 560in a bottom member 550.

At step 840, method 800 ends.

It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and notthe Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpretthe claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or morebut not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention ascontemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit thepresent invention and the appended claims in any way.

The present invention has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specifiedfunctions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functionalbuilding blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenienceof the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined so long as thespecified functions and relationships thereof are appropriatelyperformed.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fullyreveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applyingknowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt forvarious applications such specific embodiments, without undueexperimentation, without departing from the general concept of thepresent invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications areintended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of thedisclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presentedherein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, suchthat the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is tobe interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings andguidance.

The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited byany of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be definedonly in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cold plasma treatment device comprising: a bodyhaving a gas compartment therein, the gas compartment communicativelycoupled to a gas inlet port; a non-conductive bottom member having aplurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings iscommunicatively coupled to the gas compartment, and wherein a firstsurface of the non-conductive bottom member is aligned to a shape of atreatment area; and a dielectric barrier discharge device formed by anelectrode disposed adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulatingbarrier in turn disposed adjacent to the gas compartment and theelectrode coupled to a high voltage electrical input port.
 2. The coldplasma treatment device of claim 1, wherein the electrode and the gascompartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier.
 3. The coldplasma treatment device of claim 1, wherein the first surface of thenon-conductive bottom member and a second surface of the insulatingbarrier share a common shape.
 4. The cold plasma treatment device ofclaim 1, wherein the first surface of the non-conductive bottom member,a second surface of the insulating barrier and a third surface of theelectrode have a same surface area.
 5. The cold plasma treatment deviceof claim 1, further comprising: a pulsed radio frequency (RF) electricalsource coupled to the high voltage electrical input port.
 6. The coldplasma treatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive bottommember is flat.
 7. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1, whereinthe non-conductive bottom member is flexible.
 8. The cold plasmatreatment device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive bottom member ispolygonal in shape.
 9. The cold plasma treatment device of claim 1,wherein the non-conductive bottom member is oval in shape.
 10. The coldplasma treatment device of claim 1, further comprising: a manipulationelement attached to the body, wherein the manipulation element is one ofa handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automaticmanipulation actuator.
 11. A method comprising: receiving a gas into agas compartment within a body, the gas received via a gas inlet port;energizing the received gas within the gas compartment to generate acold plasma by applying electrical energy via a high voltage electricalinput port to an electrode adjacent to a dielectric barrier, thedielectric barrier sandwiched between the electrode and the gascompartment; and outputting the cold plasma via a plurality of holes ina non-conductive bottom member, wherein the plurality of holescommunicatively coupled to the gas compartment, and wherein a firstsurface of the non-conductive bottom member is aligned to a shape of atreatment area.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrode andthe gas compartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein the first surface of the non-conductivebottom member and a second surface of the insulating barrier share acommon shape.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first surface ofthe non-conductive bottom member, a second surface of the insulatingbarrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area.15. The method of claim 11, wherein applying electrical energy includes:applying pulsed radio frequency (RF) electrical energy via the highvoltage electrical input port.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein thenon-conductive bottom member is flat.
 17. The method of claim 11,wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flexible.
 18. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the non-conductive bottom member is polygonal inshape.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the non-conductive bottommember is oval in shape.
 20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:applying the cold plasma to the treatment area using a manipulationelement, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, asemi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulationactuator.